This Weeks Single Origins – 13/01/14

This week we are proud to bring to you this very special line up of centrals.Costa Rica El ChayoteRegion: AlajuelaFarm: Sin Limites EstateOwner: Jaime CardenasAltitude: 1500 to 1600 Meters above sea levelVariety: Villa SarchiProcessing: HoneySweet and fruity with pleasant citric acidity and chocolate in the finish.Sin Limites estate is owner by Jaime CAdenas and his wife Maribel Barrantes. It is nestled on 7 Hectares in Lourdes de Naranjo in the Alajuela micro region of Costa Ricas West valley.They have their own Micro mill on the farm where they produce both washed and honey processed coffees for themselves and neighbours.The honey process, as the Costa Ricans have dubbed it, is a method of pulped natural where the skin is removed from the fruit by mechanical pulper. This leaves a large amount of sticky mucilage of the drying beans giving the beans a sweeter, fruitier flavor. The method is called honey process, due to the consistency of the sticky fruit.Guatemala ClassicRegion: AntiguaAltitude: 1200 to 1600 metersVariety: Caturra, Catuai, BourbonScreen size: 15 plusProcessing: WashedPreparation: 100% sundried and handsortedFull, chocolaty body with hints of caramel. Well balanced acidity with a smoky rum finish.Over the past few years, the rise of single estate and microlot coffees has soured. However, one of the comments we continually receive is “remember that Guatemalan you used to offer? The really chocolaty, spicy one”. This has got me thinking, of course micro lots and single estates produce amazing coffees, but are we now to quick to dismiss anything that a blended origin?We decided to try to create a classic Guatemala Antigua, using high grade specialty coffees of 84 points and higher. Our Central American supplier flew in for a visit to the Pastores Mill in the heart of Antigua region to see what coffees were on offer. Of course we picked up some micro lots, but his mission was to source some coffees for our classic Antigua blend. We received a box of samples, roasted, cupped and picked some classic styles, and sent our feedback.  The samples were then special prepared under the supervision of our supplier. They were the blended and shipped.We are pretty happy with the result and we think the blend capture that classic flavor that we all used to look for all those years ago.